Trump's team

Who will make up the White House staff?

Speculation over who President Donald Trump would choose as advisers and Cabinet members began almost immediately after his victory.

Announcements of official appointments and nominations — some unexpected — quickly began. Meanwhile, rumors of possible choices dominated the headlines, as power-players were spotted coming and going from Trump Tower, Mar-a-Lago, and later the White House.

Vice President: Mike Pence

Pence also took over leading the transition team after New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie was ousted from the role.

Pence was elected governor of Indiana in 2013 and before that served in the House of Representatives.

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Senior Adviser: Jared Kushner

Kushner, a New York real estate developer who is married to Mr. Trump's daughter Ivanka, was a key adviser during the campaign and remained influential after the election.

The president put him in charge of the new White House Office of American Innovation to overhaul government using ideas from the business world, and also asked Kushner to help broker a Mideast peace agreement.

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Assistant to the President: Ivanka Trump

President Trump's 35-year-old daughter contributed significantly to her father's campaign, transition, and now, his presidency. She already had an office in the White House, but taking on an official role means she will have to comply with ethics rules.

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Secretary of State: Rex Tillerson

Tillerson, the former CEO of ExxonMobil, was confirmed by the Senate as secretary of state on Feb. 1, 2017.

The 64-year-old executive has no previous government experience, but has done business in dozens of countries as head of the largest oil company in the world.

Some leading lawmakers voiced concern about Tillerson's business ties to Russia and his relationship with Russian President Vladimir Putin, who honored Tillerson with the Order of Friendship in 2013.

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Chief of Staff: John Kelly

Trump announced on Twitter on July 28, 2017, that he had named Kelly as White House chief of staff to replace Reince Priebus.

Kelly had been serving as secretary of the Department of Homeland Security.

Kelly, a general who served for nearly 46 years in the Marine Corps, was the commander of U.S. Southern Command until earlier this year.

Before that, he commanded American forces numerous times in Iraq, and spent a year as the top Marine in that country. He also served as an aide to defense secretaries Leon Panetta and Robert Gates.

CIA Director: Mike Pompeo

Pompeo, previously a Republican congressman from Kansas, was a member of the House Intelligence Committee and a former Army captain.

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Defense Secretary: James Mattis

The Senate confirmed the appointment of Mattis as Defense Secretary in an overwhelming vote on Jan. 20, 2017 after he was granted a waiver exempting him from a current law that limits the appointment of a defense secretary within seven years of active military duty.

Mattis, a retired Marine Corps general and decorated war veteran, is a vocal critic of the Iran nuclear deal and a skeptic of Russian President Vladimir Putin.

He also opposes waterboarding, a torture technique that Mr. Trump previously promised he would employ in the fight against ISIS.

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Department of Homeland Security: Kirstjen Nielsen

Kirstjen Nielsen was nominated to lead the Department of Homeland Security on Oct. 11, 2017.

The post was left vacant in July when John Kelly, who was serving in the role, left to become White House chief of staff.

Nielsen is a cybersecurity expert who was serving as deputy White House chief of staff. She previously served as Kelly's chief of staff when he was in the Homeland Security position.

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National Security Adviser: Gen. H.R. McMaster

President Trump named U.S. Army Lieutenant General H.R. McMaster (L) as his national security adviser at his Mar-a-Lago resort in Palm Beach, Florida, on February 20, 2017.

McMaster commanded troops in both U.S. wars in Iraq, and most recently served as director of the Army Capabilities Integration Center, a sort of military think tank.

McMaster replaced Gen. Michael Flynn, who was ousted for withholding information from Vice President Mike Pence about his contacts with Russia.

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Counselor to the President: Kellyanne Conway

Mr. Trump named Kellyanne Conway as counselor to the president on Dec. 22.

Conway, a political strategist and pollster, helped turn Trump's campaign around while serving as campaign manager. She's been serving as a senior member of the Trump transition team.

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Treasury Secretary: Steven Mnuchin

Steven Mnuchin was confirmed as treasury secretary on Feb. 13, by a vote of 53-47.

Mnuchin served as the national finance chairman of the Trump campaign. He also spent 17 years working for Goldman Sachs.

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Department of Health and Human Services: Alex Azar

President Trump nominated former pharmaceutical executive Alex Azar to lead the Department of Health and Human Services on Nov. 13, 2017.

Azar had served as general counsel of HHS and later as the department's deputy secretary during President George W. Bush's administration.

Following his time at the department, he rose to become president of Eli Lilly USA, a global pharmaceutical company. If confirmed, Azar would replace Tom Price, who resigned in September.

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Labor Secretary: Alexander Acosta

President Trump announced his selection of Alexander Acosta for labor secretary on Feb. 16, a day after the president's previous pick, Andrew Puzder, withdrew his name from consideration for the post.

Acosta served as assistant attorney general for the Civil Rights Division under President George W. Bush and was previously a member of the National Labor Relations Board. Most recently, Acosta was dean of the Florida International University College of Law. He also clerked for Supreme Court Justice Samuel Alito.

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Department of Veterans Affairs Secretary: David Shulkin

Shulkin was confirmed to lead the Department of Veterans Affairs on Feb. 13 by a unanimous vote in the Senate.

Shulkin previously served as the VA's undersecretary for health and spent more than two decades in hospital management.

First Lady: Melania Trump

Melania said during the campaign that, as first lady, she'd like to focus on the issue of combating cyber-bullying.

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Environmental Protection Agency: Scott Pruitt

The Senate voted 52-46 to confirm Pruitt on Feb. 17 as head of the Environmental Protection Agency, a federal agency he repeatedly sued to during the Obama administration, when Pruitt was Oklahoma's attorney general.

Pruitt is closely aligned with oil and gas companies in his home state, and has made statements casting doubt on climate change and the role of carbon emissions in global warming.

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Housing and Urban Development Secretary: Ben Carson

Carson was confirmed by the Senate as the secretary of the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) on March 2.

Carson was raised in an impoverished area of Detroit and later became a renowned neurosurgeon. He drew national attention when he ran in the Republican primary race, and later endorsed Mr. Trump.

The 65-year-old has no previous policy experience in the field of urban development, and has never held elected office.

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Director of National Intelligence: Dan Coats

Mr. Trump chose Coats for the role of director of national intelligence on Jan. 5.

Coats was a U.S. senator from Indiana from 1989 to 1999, and again from 2011 to early 2017 when he retired.

Deputy National Security Adviser: K.T. McFarland

McFarland was working as Fox News' national security analyst and a contributor to FoxNews.com's opinion page.

According to her Fox News biography, she served as an aide to Henry Kissinger, senior speechwriter to Defense Secretary Caspar Weinberger and later as a principal deputy assistant secretary of defense and Pentagon spokeswoman.

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White House Communications Director: Hope Hicks

Hicks was officially named as White House communications director on Sept. 12, 2017, after filling that role on an interim basis since Anthony Scaramucci's departure in July.

Hicks had previously served in the role of director of strategic communications.

Hicks, a PR specialist, started working with Ivanka Trump in 2012. She became press secretary on Mr. Trump's campaign, and then took on a similar role for his transition team.

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U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations: Nikki Haley

Haley's nomination to the post of U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations was confirmed by the Senate on Jan. 24.

Haley, a Republican, served as the governor of South Carolina since 2011. She was the first woman to be named to Mr. Trump's Cabinet.

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Interior Secretary: Ryan Zinke

Zinke was confirmed by the Senate as the secretary of the Interior on March 1.

Zinke, a Republican from Montana, had just won his second term in Congress.

Energy Secretary: Rick Perry

Perry served as governor of Texas from 2000 to 2015. He launched failed bids for the White House in the 2012 and 2016 Republican primaries.

Perry has previously suggested that the Department of Energy should be abolished.

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Secretary of the Army: Vincent “Vinnie” Viola

Mr. Trump named Viola as secretary of the Army on Dec. 19, but Viola withdrew his name from consideration on Feb. 3 because he was unable to separate himself from his business ties, the Military Times reported.

Viola is a former infantry officer who served in the 101st Airborne Division who graduated from West Point. He is the founder and executive chairman of Virtu Financial. Viola, a billionaire, is also the owner of the Florida Panthers hockey team.

Transportation Secretary: Elaine Chao

Chao served as labor secretary under President George W. Bush from 2001 to 2009. She was the only Cabinet member to serve through his entire two terms in the White House, and the first Asian-American woman ever to hold a Cabinet-level position.

Chao is married to Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell.

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Education Secretary: Betsy DeVos

DeVos' nomination as education secretary was confirmed by the Senate on Feb. 7, 2017.

DeVos had become one of Trump's most controversial Cabinet picks, and she only garnered 50 lawmakers' votes. Vice President Mike Pence cast the tie-breaking vote.

The philanthropist and education activist, who has strongly supported charter schools and vouchers, served as chair of the Michigan Republican Party from 1996 to 2000.

U.S. Trade Representative: Robert Lighthizer

Lighthizer was previously a deputy U.S. trade representative under President Reagan, and has since worked as a trade attorney in Washington, D.C.

Credit: From Bob Dole oral history on YouTube, Oct. 18, 2007.

Assistant to the President for Homeland Security and Counterterrorism: Tom Bossert

Mr. Trump chose Bossert to serve as assistant to the President for homeland security and counterterrorism on Dec. 27.

Bossert previously served as deputy homeland security advisor to former President George W. Bush. Since leaving the White House, Bossert has run a national security consulting business and served as a fellow at the Atlantic Council focusing on cybersecurity.

Social Media Director: Dan Scavino

Scavino managed social media during the Trump campaign. He previously worked as the general manager of the Trump National Golf Club.

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Trade council head: Peter Navarro

Mr. Trump named Navarro to lead the newly created White House trade council on Dec. 21.

Navarro is a business professor at the University of California-Irvine. In his book, "Death by China," he endorses a hard line approach toward U.S. economic relations with China.

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Special advisor on regulatory reform: Carl Icahn

Icahn was named to the role of special advisor on regulatory reform on Dec. 21.

The billionaire investor will offer advice to Mr. Trump on economic regulations, but he will not be a federal employee or have any specific duties in the administration.

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Small Business Administration: Linda McMahon

McMahon was confirmed by the Senate to lead the Small Business Administration on Feb. 14.

McMahon and her husband, Vince, founded and built World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE). Recently, she launched a start-up that encourages women to become entrepreneurs.

The president-elect said McMahon shares his vision of decreasing "burdensome regulations that are hurting our middle-class workers and small businesses."

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U.S. Ambassador to Russia: Jon Huntsman

President Trump is nominating Huntsman to serve as ambassador to Russia, CBS News learned on March 8.

Huntsman, 56, served as the U.S. ambassador to China under President Obama and as the U.S. ambassador to Singapore under Presidents George H.W. Bush and Bill Clinton. He also served as governor of Utah from 2005 until 2009, and he ran for president as a Republican in 2012.

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U.S. Ambassador to Israel: David Friedman

Mr. Trump selected New York bankruptcy attorney David Friedman to be the new U.S. ambassador to Israel.

U.S. Ambassador to China: Terry Branstad

Mr. Trump's choice of Branstad for the post of U.S. ambassador to China was announced on Dec. 7.

Branstad served as governor of Iowa from 1983 to 1999 and again since 2011, making him the longest-serving governor in American history.

Bloomberg reported that Branstad is a longtime friend of Chinese President Xi Jinping.

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Omarosa Manigault

Manigault was named as an assistant to the president and director of communications for the Office of Public Liaison on Jan. 4, 2017.

In December 2017, the White House announced that Manigault "resigned ... to pursue other opportunities" and her last day would be Jan. 20, 2018.

Manigault, a vocal Trump supporter during the campaign, gained fame as a contestant on season one of "The Apprentice."

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Tom Price

Price, a Republican representative from Georgia, was confirmed as health and human services secretary Feb. 10, 2017, by a Senate vote of 52-47.

He resigned on Sept. 29, 2017, amid scrutiny over his use of private planes at taxpayer expense and three days after Senate Republican leaders decided not to hold a vote on a bill to repeal Obamacare because they didn't have the votes to pass the bill.

Price, an orthopedic surgeon by trade, served five terms in Congress and was chairman of the House Budget Committee.

He has led the charge to repeal Obamacare, also known as the Affordable Care Act, saying it doesn't give patients or doctors adequate health care choices.

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Anthony Scaramucci

Scaramucci was named White House communications director on July 21, 2017.

Prior to Scaramucci's appointment, Sean Spicer had been serving as both communications director and press secretary, but he resigned from the Trump administration on the same day Scaramucci was brought on.

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Steve Bannon

Mr. Trump announced Bannon's appointment to White House strategist on Nov. 13, 2016, setting off a firestorm of criticism. After a turbulent time in the White House, Bannon's tenure ended on Aug. 18, 2017.

Bannon headed the right-wing Breitbart News for almost five years before becoming CEO of the Trump campaign. Critics decried Bannon's role in encouraging the "alt-right" movement and white nationalist supporters.

In January, Trump had added Bannon to the National Security Council's Principals Committee, a small group of the president's top national security advisors that considers policy issues on national security. But Bannon was later removed from the role, a White House memo revealed in April 2017.

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Reince Priebus

One of Mr. Trump's first personnel choices was to name Priebus as the White House chief of staff on Nov. 13, 2016.

Priebus had served as the chairman of the Republican National Committee since 2011.

But on July 28, 2017, Trump tweeted that he had named John Kelly to replace Priebus as White House chief of staff.

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Sean Spicer

Spicer was named as press secretary on Dec. 22, 2016. He resigned on July 21, 2017, shortly after President Trump selected Anthony Scaramucci as White House communications director.

Spicer had essentially been serving as both communications director and press secretary but had stepped back from press secretary duties in the weeks before his resignation.

Previously, Spicer served as communications director of the Republican National Committee since 2011.

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Mike Dubke

Dubke resigned from his role as White House communications director in May.

The communications director oversees the White House messaging and promotes its agenda.

Previously, Dubke served as a partner for the political advertising group Crossroads Media, which describes itself as "the premier Republican media services firm." Dubke also led the Virginia-based Black Rock Group, a strategic communications and public affairs firm.

Credit: Mike Dubke

Katie Walsh

Walsh was named deputy chief of staff on Jan. 4, but she left her post in March to join an outside political organization supporting the Trump agenda.

Walsh was serving as the chief of staff for the Republican National Committee before joining the White House staff.

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Andy Puzder

The president-elect nominated Puzder as labor secretary on Dec. 8, but Puzder withdrew from consideration on Feb. 15.

Puzder, the CEO of CKE Restaurants, which owns fast food chains Carl's Jr. and Hardee's, came under fire for business practices including his company's racy advertising and his opposition to raising the minimum wage. He also admitted that he and his wife had employed an undocumented immigrant for housework, and faced negative headlines about his messy public divorce from three decades ago.

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Michael T. Flynn

Flynn was chosen on Nov. 18, 2016, for the role of national security adviser but resigned on Feb. 13, 2017, less than a month after President Trump took office.

Flynn came under fire for misleading Vice President Mike Pence about his talks with the Russian ambassador, including discussions of U.S. sanctions.

The former Army lieutenant general was a registered Democrat, but became a critic of President Obama and campaigned aggressively for Mr. Trump. He served as the director of the Defense Intelligence Agency from 2012 to 2014.

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Monica Crowley

Mr. Trump tapped Crowley, a conservative media commentator, to run communications for the National Security Council on Dec. 15.

But Crowley bowed out of joining the Trump administration following accusations of plagiarism.

CNN had reported that passages in a 2012 book by Crowley were plagiarized. And according to a report by Politico Magazine, Crowley also plagiarized a number of passages in her 2000 Columbia University PhD dissertation.